Everyone wins at NYC boat parade

NAWILIWILI — Everyone was a winner when the Nawiliwili Yacht Club was able to unveil its flotilla of yachts and some inflatable boats, Sunday.

“I am so astonished that we actually got this one done,” said Sharon Gibson, one of the NYC coordinators at the jetty wall vantage point. “The Hawai‘i and Waikiki yacht clubs both had their parades scheduled for Sunday, and everything was cancelled because of the wet weather.”

Taking advantage of clear skies and a crisp evening, the annual NYC Boat Parade of Lights unfolded to an audience of several hundred people that lined the harbor and overflowed the parking area.

Santa, aka Bill Georgi, worked his way between cars and spectators to try and gain a vantage point so he could perform his duties as a judge.

But despite Gibson’s encouragement to make sure boat numbers were clearly visible, the red-suited gentlemen resorted to passing out ballots to the spectators to make a final judgement.

A cash prize awaited the top three winners in the Best Decorated Boat judging if the craft was registered prior to Friday.

After collecting the ballots, the NYC Committee headed by Mr. Claus distributed the first prize to “Bonjolea,” the second to

“Coyote,” and the third prize to “Anela Kai” whose pirouette at the reviewing stand left spectators in awe.

Gibson said the voting was tough with the winners being separated by just one or two votes between them.

“I think they were all winners,” she said. “We had a great crowd at the clubhouse for a Christmas party with dinner and dancing after the parade. It was quite festive and there were lots of fun.”

Other ships participating in the hour-long parade included “Kai Lani” and “Speedy.”

Mike Bailey donned the Santa outfit in a little sailboat that was egged along by a late-entry Avon piloted by yet another Santa.

NYC opens its 2009 season in February, with a race and a post-race party at the clubhouse. A date for this event will be released in January.